Thanks to its loose fit and elegant waterfall silhouette, it’s easy to make a statement with the stylish Peony Vest.
How pretty is this texture? It’s a simple slip stitch pattern, but in cotton/silk Papyrus it adds a lot of depth.
It’s got such a rich, almost nubbly look and feel. The added sheen of silk adds to the complexity of the yarn.
The Peony Vest is worked in three pieces – back, left front, and right front – and then seamed. This comfortable and elegant design includes thoughtful details like twisted ribbing at the bottom, and a tidy I-Cord edging to complete the look.
All together, the Peony Vest is a wonderful warm-weather accessory that will serve you well.
As knitters and crocheters, we sometimes overlook the summer stitching season or wish away the heat in favor of sweater weather. Of course, that’s understandable considering we all spend so much time lovingly making sweaters, hats, shawls, and other cozy projects. But we don’t need to wish away the long, sunny days. We can beat the sweltering heat by choosing yarns perfect for the height of summer. So, although back-to-school is around the corner and fall will come in the blink of an eye, I still want to celebrate our staff picks for our favorite summer yarns.
Aubrey
“My favorite summer yarn is going to be a classic: Cotton Supreme. 100% cotton that is buttery soft means that anything you make is going to be comfortable to wear when the days are hot. And we all know how hot it gets here in the south! The matte look of this yarn makes it perfect for any project, dress it up or dress it down, and the extensive color palette offers so many options. I’ve wanted to design a knit dress, and this could be the perfect summer option.“
Ashley Jane (AJ)
“My favorite summer yarn is Truva. The marled and heathered look is so unique and its cotton/cashmere blend is soft and lightweight to work with. I love the idea that even a simple summer garment, like a tank, will undoubtedly turn out looking and feeling luxurious. I also can’t get over the colors! There may only be eight to choose from, but I still can’t pin down a favorite. Each one has a little something special to it that keeps me falling in love over and over again.”
Heather
“This may be an obvious choice since *everybody* loves this yarn, but I think my favorite warm weather yarn is Bamboo Pop. It’s so cool and smooth! Of the projects that I’ve made in this yarn, my personal favorite is the Maya Scarf. I’m friends with designer Amy Gunderson, and she was kind enough to help me pick out some good cool tones. It was an easy pattern to get into the rhythm of, and the yarn was so refreshing to knit with. I love the drape of the plant fibers and the sheen that the bamboo gives my projects! It’s easy to see why Bamboo Pop is so popular.”
Yonca
“Mine is Flax. With the perfect color palette from brights to pastels – Flax gives me lots of color options. I love the crisp sense of it while I am working with it and love the fact that it will get softer over time. It is perfect for keeping me cool during hot Carolina summers while still looking sharp. I am hoping to knit another summer top with it this summer. “
Rachel
One of my favorite things about Universal Yarn is the strong lineup of summer options. We honestly have such an amazing range of yarns perfect for warmer climates in a variety of fabulous fibers. It’s so challenging to choose a favorite – but since I asked everyone else to choose, I must also choose! My favorite summer yarn has to be Magnolia. This blend of modal and cashmere is one of the loveliest yarns I’ve had the pleasure of working with. It’s silky smooth, lightweight, and has perhaps the best drape of any yarn out there. I really mean that! The color palette is so juicy and fresh – with excellent options for neutrals. For a splash of color, don’t miss our gorgeous Sunkissed Summer collection!
And there you have it, folks, our favorite summer yarns! I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a little bit about what makes each of these yarns special to us, and why we love working with them. What are your favorite summer yarns? Let us know in the comments!
Serafina was designed by Rachel Brockman as part of the Perennial Knits collection, showcasing five timeless patterns in Ravello. We love this design so much we put it on the cover!
And what’s not to love? There’s a delicate, lacy hem with a touch of stranded colorwork…
…bordering a simple stockinette body, with raglan sleeves and constrating edging. All together, Serafina is graceful, polished, and beautiful.
The gorgeous stitch definition and depth of color come from the yarn, Ravello. This 50% cotton/50% cashmere blend feels like a dream and works up smoothly and easily. This is one of my favorites from our Italian mill, because it is so versatile in warm weather, and because of the faint haze that the cashmere gives to the cotton. True luxury.
With its inclusive sizing and seamless construction, this pattern will appeal to a range of knitters. It certainly appeals to me. My queue continues to grow!
To get Serafina free, use the buy it now or add to cart links on the Ravelry pattern page linked here. Then enter coupon code FLASH where you see the “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase. Not a Ravelry user? Drop us a line by the end of Sunday 6/26 and we’ll get you taken care of.
Lightweight, lacy, and perfect for summer, Delilah is a linen luxury that’s tailor-made for warm weather.
This design comes to us from Aubrey Busek. If you know her work, it’s easy to see her creative touches: she always brings a certain flair to her designs, as with the bohemian tassels adorning this asymmetrical triangular shawl.
Aubrey chose Flax 100% linen yarn for this design, and no wonder: when it comes to summer fashion and comfort, you really can’t go wrong with linen.
Delilah is a perfect topper to any outfit you choose. We’ve paired it with a long summer dress here, but it’s simple to style any number of ways. Its 50″ length looks great wrapped over the bodice, draped loosely at your neck, or artfully thrown over one shoulder.
Delilah’s lace repeat is easy to memorize, and a great match for its soothing stockinette center. This shawl is just as fun to work up as it is to wear.
This is definitely a design to bump to the top of the queue.
Amy Gunderson designed this as part of Contrarian Shawls 2, a collection of charming knit and crochet shawls designed in our Fibra Natura line of yarns. It’s a lovely filet crochet pattern. If you’ve never tried filet crochet before, this is your lucky day! When this pattern was first released, Amy shared blog posts on how to work filet crochet, and on how to create edging for this shawl.
Thanks, Amy!
For this design, Amy chose Cotton True Sport, a smooth, fine 100% Pima cotton yarn which lends itself well to knitting, weaving, and crochet.
The Delphi Stole is a great summertime accessory, and we’re delighted to make it free this weekend!
To get the Delphi Stole free, use the buy it now or add to cart links on the Ravelry pattern page linked here. Then enter coupon code FLASH where you see the “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase. Not a Ravelry user? Drop us a line by the end of Sunday 5/29 and we’ll get you taken care of.
Designer Aubrey Busek took her inspiration for this design from still waters, kissed by a breeze that ripples the surface. It’s apparent in the lace elements…
…and in the choice of twisted rib, a stitch which gives a dimensional element to the body of the piece.
Also adding to the texture, the choice of yarn. Fibra Natura Papyrus is composed of a light and luxurious cotton/silk blend with a fascinating feel. Easy on the hands to work with, Papyrus is a great yarn for warmer weather. It adds a certain 3D quality to your fabric.
I’ve got some stashed away, waiting for me to cast on for my Beechnut Pullover. But looking at this wrap, maybe I should go ahead and make this instead. Or both. Yep, that’s it, both.
We hope you have a fantastic weekend, full of love and joy.
Carrying a reusable bag instead of a disposable one is a great way to improve your carbon footprint. And today, we’ve got a fun crochet pattern that makes going green easy – and in an eco-friendly yarn, to boot!
Fibra Natura Java is 100% hemp, a fast-growing renewable plant fiber that’s easy on the earth. Strong and durable, Java is great for home decor projects, as well as projects like today’s tote that need to stand up to a lot of use. Bonus – the colors are beautiful!
We chose 111 Fossil Gray and 108 Golden Sun, for a bright and sunny bag that will put a smile on your face.
Freedom Park in Charlotte, NC Photo by Cody Hughes
I can see myself putting books and sunglasses in my Day Tripe Tote and heading for the park to treat myself to a relaxing afternoon in the great outdoors. This would be after hitting my LYS to fill any empty space in my bag, of course. Now that’s the perfect day!
Rachel Brockman’s gorgeous Norwood was originally a pay-only pattern, but today we’re setting it forever free!
It was first published as part of the Lakeside Retreat collection of patterns designed in our Fibra Natura line of natural fiber yarns.
Rachel’s penchant for creating a simple, clean design and then adding a decorative twist is beautifully realized here. The majority of the body is a field of simple stockinette…
…with one side panel graced with decorative cables, lending a whole new dimension to the design.
The eight row cable repeat is both written and charted. Use what works best for you. You may notice something else about this pullover.
It’s very light! In luxurious laceweight wool/silk blend Whisper Lace, worked here on US3 / 3.25mm needles, Norwood is a perfect piece for those spring and fall days when the weather isn’t quite sure what it wants to do, or when you want to cut the chill of the breeze coming off the water. Rachel leans into that intention with graceful three-quarter length sleeves.
All together, Norwood is a beautiful, versatile design in a luxurious and surprisingly affordable yarn.
Gravel is the perfect pullover for everyday wear. The simple, classic raglan silhouette is already a favorite among knitters, but add the marled, variegated fabric created by our Cobblestone yarn, and you really have something special!
Cobblestone is spun with two plies. One ply is variegated, with a variety of harmonious colors, and the second ply is a solid color. In the case of 108 Tuxedo, the black, gray, and white create monochromatic variations, for a fabric with plenty of depth and interest!
Designer Rachel Brockman smartly chose to create the coordinating solid cuffs, collar, and hem in 100% superwash fine merino Donnina. The saturated deep black is a great tonal compliment to the body of this pullover, and Donnina’s stitch definition really makes that twisted rib stand out!
The result is a comfortable, timeless top that works in any casual situation, no matter what colors you choose.
It’s long enough to wear loose, or to wrap, for extra versatility in styling.
It’s also worked in the round as a tube, for a double thickness of fabric. And there’s a secret weapon for the excellent texture and color on this scarf…
Fibra Natura Donnina! Those saturated colors are just to die for. And because this 100% extrafine superwash merino is so smooth, with such a high twist, stitches really pop. The very simple patterning in this easy-to-knit scarf really stands out!
So cozy!
Donnina is a delight to work with, making this scarf a treat to knit and to wear.
We hope you have a great weekend, full of fun and laughter.
